Zayed Sustainability Prize announces 30 finalists during jury meeting
ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 29th Sep, 2021) The jury of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’s pioneering award for sustainable solutions and humanitarianism, met to elect winners for its current 2022 cycle, to be announced during its awards ceremony at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) in January 2022.
Thirty finalists were confirmed and are now vying for ten awards across the five categories of Health, food, Energy, Water, and Global High Schools. This year, the prize received 4,000 applications, marking a significant 68.5 percent increase in entries compared to the previous cycle while attracting submissions from a record 151 countries, representing over three-quarters of the world’s nations.
The jury, comprising former heads of state, government ministers and international business figures, convened a virtual meeting to review shortlisted submissions identified by the prize’s selection committee in August.
In his remarks, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director-General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said, "The Zayed Sustainability Prize continues to further the legacy and values of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and in particular his vision for humanitarian and sustainable progress throughout the world."
"As the UAE celebrates its Jubilee this year, the prize aligns perfectly with the 'Principles of the 50', the blueprint for progress that our wise leadership announced earlier this month to expand the country’s positive economic impact globally," he added.
The Chair of the jury and former President of the Republic of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, stated, "The innovation and diversity demonstrated in this year’s applications, including inspiring projects envisioned by the youth, is a testament to the prize’s ongoing ability to engage sustainability pioneers, worldwide, while offering a platform and steppingstone for transformation and added human impact.
"
The "Health" category finalists are Mamotest; Medic Mobile; and Project Andiamo Ltd.
The "Food" category finalists are Safi Organics; S4S Technologies; Tecnologías AgriBest, and S.A. DE C.V.
The "Energy" category finalists are ME SOLshare Ltd.; Planet Ark Power; and Tongwei New Energy.
The "Water" category finalists are Boreal Light GmbH; OffGridBox, Inc; and Wateroam (Singapore).
The Global High Schools’ finalists presented project-based, student-led sustainability solutions, with finalists divided into six regions. The regional finalists include Iniciativas Ecológicas (Venezuela), Instituto Iberia (Dominican Republic), Liceo Arturo Alessandri Palma (Chile), JU Gimnazija "Biha" (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Liceo Europeo (Spain), Romain-Rolland-Gymnasium (Germany), Eastern Mediterranean International school (Israel), Gifted Students School (Iraq), Umm Al Arab (UAE), Daddies Firm Foundation School (Ghana), Lighthouse Primary and Secondary School (Mauritius), Sharia Assembly of Uganda (Uganda), the BlinkNow Foundation (Nepal), Hira School (Maldives), Man Kuwari Hansa Higher Secondary School Barela (India), Bohol Wisdom School (The Philippines), International School of Asia, Karuizawa (UWC ISAK) (Japan), and Shanghai World Foreign Language academy (China).
In the Health, Food, Energy, and Water categories, each winner will receive US$600,000. The Global High Schools category has six winners, representing six world regions, with each winner receiving up to US$100,000. Since its launch in 2008, the US$3 million prize has, directly and indirectly, transformed the lives of over 352 million people across 150 countries. Today, the prize remains a catalyst for addressing the world’s most pressing issues as it continues to drive and deliver long-term impact to various communities worldwide.